The European Water Movement is an open, inclusive and pluralistic network whose goal is to reinforce the recognition of water as a commons and as a fundamental universal right. We are united to fight against privatisation and commodification of this vital good, and to construct a public and communal management of water, founded on the democratic participation of citizens and of workers.

In the perspective of the next European Elections in May 2014 the European Water Movement has some specific demands to the candidates. We want to know what position you will take if you are elected and we want you to commit with us!

What do we ask you as a candidate to the European Parliament to commit about:

1. Oppose any policy leading to privatization and commodification of water and sanitation

Austerity measures imposed by the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund (Troika) to EU member countries are strongly affecting people and their rights, including our Human Right to Water and Sanitation.

The situation today is dramatically deteriorating and the European Commission is even promoting the commodification of water in its “Blueprint to Safeguard Europe’s Water Resources”. In Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, Cyprus and in many other Countries citizens fight against these attempts to privatize and liberalize water and sanitation services and they have succeeded in lots of local and national level struggles.

Remunicipalisation and public-public partnerships (PuPs) have been proved to be effective in several cases in Europe. They represent the best option for European water policies and a choice of actual democracy and transparency. This has been applied to huge cities like Paris (FR) or smaller villages like Medina Sidonia (ES). This trend is truly European: it happens in Germany, Hungary, Italy…

Will you support policies towards the development of public-public partnerships and encourage water remunicipalisation in Europe?

3. Support the demand of European citizens for the recognition of the Human Right to Water as expressed by the European Citizens Initiative “Water a Human Right!”

Almost 2 million citizens signed the European Citizen Initiative to reaffirm the need for the recognition of water as a human right in Europe. The demand for a binding legislation to protect water from its commodification was almost ignored by the European Commission, whose response was too vague.

4. Stop the TTIP and CETA negotiations which affect, among others, water and public services

The European Commission is secretly negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the United States and the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with Canada. Their aim is to abolish any non-financial barrier between Europe, United States and Canada, as well as further liberalizing financial markets. It would affect citizens’ rights (social and labour), environment (for example, the support to fracking), food production and distribution and public services, including water supply and sanitation services. They will moreover benefit large corporates, by giving them additional rights of action against States (for example through the Investor-State-Dispute-Settlement, ISDS).

At international and national level citizens are denouncing the non-transparency of the negotiations and are demanding an immediate stop to such neoliberal agreements.

Will you actively support citizens’ demand of closing down neoliberal agreements between EU and its commercial partners and start a process of democratic restructuring of EU trade policies ?

The debate about the commons is increasingly important in the European political arena. The commons are strongly linked with human rights and water represents a common par excellence. The commons represent today a solid way out from the economic crisis and the ideal path to restructure our economies and societies.

Several social movements, scholars and thinkers are engaged for the protection of the commons. A need for a specific legislation at European level is now recognised and several MEPs have already signed an appeal about the commons in Europe engaging in the creation of an intergroup within the European Parliament in the next legislature. We also demand that all EU policies related to water should explicitly include the recognition of the human right to water and sanitation and recognize water a commons.

Will you join these MEPs, support the debate on the commons and push forward initiatives for a specific legislation on the matter, in alliance and coordination with groups of the civil society ?